Paige Bueckers is ready for her WNBA closeup as she is set to get drafted No. 1 by the Dallas Wings

By Canadian Press on April 14, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Paige Bueckers is ready to move on from college to the WNBA.

The versatile UConn star is the odds-on favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings when the league holds its annual draft at The Shed in New York on Monday night.

Bueckers will have plenty of company on Monday, especially with the WNBA having its first expansion team in 17 years in the Golden State Valkyries making their debut draft selection at No. 5 overall.

The first round will feature 12 picks with 13 in each of the final two rounds. After Dallas makes its pick, the Seattle Storm hold the No. 2 selection overall. The Washington Mystics, with a new coach and general manager, control the direction of the draft with the third, fourth and sixth pick.

Six teams don’t have picks in the opening round as New York, Indiana, Minnesota, Phoenix and Atlanta all traded away their picks. Las Vegas forfeited its pick following an investigation by the league in 2023 that found the franchise violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and workplace policies.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press